


that's when i knew

by idlewheel



Category: Brooklyn Nine-Nine (TV)
Genre: Alternate The Bet AU wehre the squad bets who is gonna propose first lol, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, F/M, Marriage Proposal, based on the cam and mitchell proposal episode from modern family, this two dorks are doing trying to propose to one another at the same time.
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-03
Updated: 2018-08-03
Packaged: 2019-06-20 23:05:54
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,568
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15544167
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/idlewheel/pseuds/idlewheel
Summary: She asks for her old family ring on a Thursday, but she realizes it all on a Wednesday.// Jake tells his mother on a Thursday morning.the tale of two losers in love who almost proposed to one another at the same time on the same day.or sabrina watches modern family reruns and gets inspired.





	that's when i knew

**Author's Note:**

> loosely based on the modern family cam & mitchell proposal episode "Suddenly, Last Summer" which played as a rerun today on Fox (as I waited to watch the four lol(i still hate u fox)) Anyways, I just had to crank this out. amy is still a detective in this one and it's set in a AU where jake didn't go to jail.

She asks for her old family ring on a Thursday, but she realizes it all on a Wednesday. She doesn't know how it happens, but one minute she's eating breakfast with him and the next she's thinking, "I want to marry this man." It takes her thirty hours to ask for the ring and she's surprised at how little her voice shakes. Her father lets out a cough of a laugh and her mother makes her coffee and asks her so many questions, she's sure her brain is going to melt into her eyeballs.

"When did you know? When are you asking? Does he think you're going to ask?" And more importantly, "Why isn't he asking _you_?" Her father, who had remained quiet through her stumbling answers now turned his dark eyes towards her. It was worse than being interrogated and despite the hard question, she didn’t feel the dagger of fear digging into her heart. She feels at ease, like she’s floating in a still pool.

There’s no threat of drowning, no threat at all.

"Because I love him," she says quietly and all the emotion in her heart leaks into her voice. Her mom nods along, a small smile in her face and Victor Santiago nods tightly.

Her father leaves the room after a few quiet moments and returns a second later with a velvet box. Amy knows that's the ring and her fingertips prickle with excitement. This is it. The ring that is going to be sitting on Jake’s finger for the rest of his life.

Her father hands it to her, but before she can take it, his hand wraps around hers. "I'm happy for you, mi’ja."

And that's when she starts to bawl.

-

Jake tells his mother on a Thursday morning. He's sitting in her kitchen eating breakfast when he says it. He says it so casually, so cavalier, acting as if his heart isn't going to leap out of his chest at any minute.

"I'm going to ask Amy to marry me." He looks up from his breakfast, not believing the words left his mouth. He searches the air for them, but doesn’t reach for them back.

He can't believe that the Earth isn't splintering around him because he's been carrying the weight on his back like Atlas for about thirty hours.

He really didn't know when he really realized it all. All he knew was that one moment he was getting ready for work with her and the next he was thinking, "I want to marry this woman." Maybe it was when she did her little fist pump when she finished her crossword. Maybe it was when she kissed him on the cheek before she went off and showered.

Or maybe he just woke up and knew.

His mother asks no questions and instead disappears for a moment and returns with his grandmother's ring. She hands it over with no proper prompting, surprising Jake a little.

"You're really not going to ask me anything?" he asks and she shakes her head.

"Nope," she says and smiles knowingly. She leans in, her hand grabbing onto his upper arm and squeezing. "I can see it in your face. You love her and she's just _it_ for you, Jake."

"She really is," Jake agrees, huge smile on his face. They share a bright smile and Jake looks down, suddenly remembering the silver band in the velvet box. He swallows thickly and slowly opens it. He remembers being ten and ignoring his grandmother as she tried to show him the ring and tried to make him understand the power within that silver band.

"This will be for your future wife," she had said and Jake had nodded along, eyes flicking towards the cartoons on the television. At his young age, he didn't understand what his grandmother was talking about. All the talk about Soulmates and his future wife, kids, it all seemed so far away. But now, he looks at it, unblinking for a moment, lost in the gleaming white.

So much pressure compressed into that shiny rock; so much love that had touched it in fifty years. He didn't know it, but that rock meant more than just a high price tag.

It meant passion, everlasting love, and soul-mates.

And now this little ring was the promise that Amy was going to be his for life.

-

Amy tells Rosa first. Then Holt. She skips over telling Gina and Charles. She knew that Gina would jump straight to telling Jake and ruining her proposal. She also knew that Charles would be ecstatic, maybe a little too much, but she wanted him to be as surprised as Jake. She knew that this was not only about her and Jake, but Charles as well.

Rosa smirks when she tells her and says, “I always knew you were going to propose first.”

“Really? You don’t think it’s kind of... strange? I don’t know that much about weddings.” she shakes her head. “I mean, my first experience with weddings doesn't go beyond Maid of Honor at Kylie’s wedding and Disney movies. Plus, the ring I have is my family ring and I don’t know, I’m scared it’s too girly.”

Rosa snorts, “He would wear a ring pop if that’s what you gave him. Plus, have you seen Jake? That boy is a Disney Princess personified.”

Amy glances out the break-room window, looking at her boyfriend talking to Boyle at his desk. She smiles, taking in his curly hair and his dimpled chin. How could she have missed that?

“He really is.”

-

“Well, I told my mom..” Jake trails off, catching Amy’s eyes on him from the break-room. She smiles and waves. Jake does the same. He looks up at Boyle, ignoring Boyle’s knowing look and shining eyes. “Maybe we should go somewhere more private.”

Boyle gasps, “Are we finally going to build a clubhouse?”

“No, Boyle. No clubhouse. There will never be a clubhouse.” Jake sighs. He glances back towards Amy, who has gone back to talking to Rosa. Jake nods towards the evidence room. “Evidence room.”

Jake locks the door behind them and clears his throat, turning and gazing at Boyle’s expectant eyes.

“So, see, what happened was-”

“Amy’s pregnant!” Boyle interjects.

“What? No!” Jake groans. “I…” He pauses, trying to conjure up the same confidence he had that morning talking to his mother. All he has to do is picture Amy. There. Ready. “I’m proposing to Amy.”

Jake doesn’t know what to expect from Boyle. Maybe a fainting spell? Or one of his signature three hour hugs with full-on tears. In the end, Boyle simple smiles. It unnerves Jake a bit to see him so calm when the thing that he mentions at least twice a day is finally happening.

But-

“My prayers have been answered,” Boyle whispers joyfully, his grin growing with each second. It stretches across his face, conveying his pure joy. “You and Amy. Then later, baby makes three, and Boyle makes a godparent.”

“Whoa, why are we talking about kids?” Jake steps back from Boyle, about to start hyperventilating. The room suddenly looks too small. God, he needs some air.

“You don’t want to have kids?” Boyle now looks like he’s about to faint.

“I mean-I-I yes.” He stutters, blinking quickly. “Not yet. But…” He trails off and nods, thinks of cherub baby faces with Amy's eyes. He calms. “Yes. Later.” His voice is no longer a shaking bridge but stable. Kids, God. He never really thought he'd have them, but now that Boyle has mentioned them it's all he can think.

Boyle squeals and grabs onto Jake. “I’m so happy I could die.”

“Just.. don’t tell Amy, okay?”

“Don’t tell her what? That you’re planning to propose?” Jake nearly screams as Gina appears behind a pile of evidence. She looks bored, with her cat-like eyes focusing on him with sheer laziness. She crosses her arms and rolls her eyes at their dumbstruck expressions. “Yes, it’s me. I like to hang out here sometimes. I like to listen to other people's conversations; sue me. But, nothing has been as juicy as this.” She walks up to them. “You’re proposing to Amy? Do spill.”

Jake sighs, “Well, I was planning on doing it soon. Maybe on the-”

“No, more like why you are proposing.” Gina leans in, green eyes full of mirth. “Is this a Make-A-Wish thing? Like, she’s dying and her last dying wish is to get married?”

“What? No.” Jake shakes his head. “I love her and I want to be with her forever.”

“Damn right you do,” Boyle croons beside him, grinning widely. Gina rolls her eyes and lets out a long sigh. She cracks her knuckles and pushes the sleeves of her sweater up.

“As someone who has been engaged eight times, I feel like I have enough experience to tutor you in the art of proposals, Jacob.” she continues, "See, all my proposals have been in a very special place on Earth. One of the crown jewels of the East Coast."

“Weren’t all your proposals done in Atlantic City?” Boyle pipes in. “Amy hates Atlantic City. Remember when that seagull attacked her?”

“I can't help but shine in that city,” Gina says, rolling her eyes. “But, despite the magic that is Atlantic City, I was thinking you should propose to Amy in a hospital. Atlantic City is maybe too much of a diamond for her."

“What?” Jake asks.

“Pretend you’re sick, like you’re dying from some incurable disease or something, and when she starts crying at your bedside say, ‘The only incurable sickness that I have is the love that I have for you. Would you marry me?’ Yada-yada-yada.” She rolls her eyes as she speaks, flapping her hand as if brushing the words away from her.

Boyle and Jake share a look and Jake shakes his head. “I’m not doing that, Gina.”

“Why not?”

“Because being in love with Amy isn’t some disease,” he says. “And if it was, it _would_ be incurable, but only because you’d never want to be getting rid of it. You’d love it so much you’d never want to be free from it.”

“So, Amy’s is like cocaine?” Gina asks, crossing her arms again.

“She’s my cocaine,” Jake says automatically.

Gina nearly gags at this. Boyle wipes away a tear and silently claps.

“Fine,” Gina groans, rolling her eyes. “Do it at the library, then. It’s the lamest place I can think of.” As she talks, Jake looks around him, remembering their first kiss, their first conversation after nearly three months apart and the same place where they killed a man. “Or, at the DMV, I heard they have a form named after her.” But Jake isn’t listening because, he finally has it.

“I have a better idea.” Jake says, looking around the room, as if seeing it for the first time.

-

“So, how are you going to do it?”

Amy can't hide her grin and she leans in towards Rosa, her chair squeaking on the floor as she scoots. Rosa leans back on her chair, frowning. They were still sitting in the break-room, cups of cold coffee in front of them. “I am going to rent out the theatre next to the bodega with the rat infestation-"

"So, all of them?" Rosa interjects.

"-and I’m going to have them play Die Hard on a loop. Before his favorite scene, the screen will stop and I will pop the question. It’ll just be me, him, and Bruce Willis in a tank top. It’s Jake’s wildest dream.”

Rosa nods along, “Okay, but, how are you going to get him there?”

“Simple. I plan on telling him that my brother gave us these tickets. He works in PR; it’s very legit.”

“So, when are you going to propose?”

-

“On the anniversary of our first date,” Jake says, smiling confidently.

“Ew. You know the date of your first date?”

“Yep.” Jake nods, still feeling the glow of the moon on his skin. “And it’s coming up kinda soon. So, it’s perfect.”

“So do I.” Boyle interjects. “My great aunt Sylvia got her gall bladder removed the same day. She died of complications.” He pauses for a second, looking slightly grim, but his face brightens quickly. “But Jake and Amy trump 'dead great aunt'.”

“Great,” Jake continues, clearing his throat. “This is how it’s going to go down…”

-

Time passes quickly and Amy tries to be sneaky about her plans. She pretends that she has a lot work so Jake won't question her absence. In reality she's planning and ignoring calls from her mother about when she's going to propose.

As the days grow closer, Amy grows more and more nervous. She starts to dream about their life after the proposal. She doesn't question whether he'll say no. She knows that he'll say yes, just as she'd say yes if he asked.

Little does she know that Jake's "dinners" with Boyle are him planning to propose to her the same day she's planning to propose to him.

-

A few days before the big event, Rosa finds Gina cleaning up the evidence locker. Days prior, the boxes would crowd the room, making it seem smaller than it really is but now, as she walks into the room, she's surprised at how clean and orderly it is.

She's more surprised at the fact that Gina is the one cleaning it. There's nothing weirder than that. Not even a full-blown Holt smile could top that.

“What are you doing?” Rosa asks, crossing her arms. She stands in front of Gina's way, stopping her from moving the large box labeled "Summer 1989."

“Just some side tasks, Rosa. We all need to help around the precinct.” She smiles tightly, walking around her. She nearly tosses the box to the floor without a care, showing Rosa that this is not something she really chose to do.

Someone asked her to do this. But who was it? Holt? Sarge? Amy?

“Side tasks? You don’t even do your actual job and you want me to believe that you’re cleaning voluntarily?” Rosa scoffs. “What are you planning? Who asked you to do this?" Gina doesn't relent and Rosa continues, "Was it Hitchcock and Scully? Dammit, Sarge already told them they couldn't have a pinball machine."

"Someone call me?" Terry calls, walking into the room. His eyes widen at the cleanliness. "Damn, Gina, what are you doing?"

"She's cleaning." Rosa says and juts her chin towards the neatly stacked boxes. Captain Holt walks in before Rosa can say anything more. He looks around the room once and doesn't move an inch of muscle on his face. He stands next to Sarge, not saying a word.

"That's right, Rosa. I am cleaning because I believe we should all pull our weight around this precinct." She looks over at Sarge and Holt after she sets it down on top of the others. "Like you two, why don't you go answer my work phone. I hear it ringing."

"I actually came over here because it was ringing. You usually answer three out of ten calls, but you've answered none in thirty minutes. I was getting worried; I thought you were dead or hurt," Holt adds. "But now I see you're simply cleaning." He nods. "Good job. This room needed a good tidying."

"You see, Rosa?" Gina says, looking over at her. "The Captain appreciates my work." She grabs another box from the center of the room, struggling to move it. Rosa grinds her teeth, watching as she teeters. Something doesn't smell right and it isn't Boyle's fermented beans.

"Sarge, make her tell me what she's planning." Rosa doesn't move her eyes away from Gina but Gina simply smiles tauntingly. She stacks the box and goes back to the center of the room to grab another. Sarge simply sighs, but doesn't speak.

"Sorry, Rosa but I've been sworn to secrecy." Gina shrugs.

"So someone _did_ put you up to this!"

"Uh-uh. I am not going to answer that." Gina shrugs.

"Do it or I'll tear every single piece of hair from your head."

"You don't scare me, Rosa," Gina singsongs as she goes around her, another box in arms. Rosa steps sideways, stopping Gina in her trek. Gina simple steps toward the other side and reaches her destination. The box makes a small sound as Gina lets it go.

"Gina, just tell us what's going on," Sarge says.

"Sarge! I told you that I can't," Gina groans.

"Captain," Rosa asks and Holt nods.

"I also am curious." Holts adds, crossing his arms. "Tell us or I will make you answer eight out of those ten phone calls, and I am expecting a call from my very chatty niece, Natasha."

"Fine," Gina groans and sighs loudly, dropping the box that was in her arms onto the floor. She leaves it there. "Jake is going to propose to Amy on the night of their first date anniversary and he wants me to help him cleans this mess. Apparently the room where they killed a man is oddly romantic to them."

“No way,” Rosa replies, stepping back. She looks at Gina and shakes her head, “Tell him he can't.”

"The boy's mind is set." Gina shrugs and picks the box up. She drops it on top of the stack at the edge of the room.

"Wow, Jake and Amy, huh?" Terry sniffles, a tear trickling down his cheek. "My two kids."

"Gina, you have to tell Jake that he can't propose to Amy."

“Why do you care so much? Are you secretly in love with him?”

“No, you dummy. I care because I’m helping Amy propose to him that same day at that same time.” Rosa cringes as soon as she speaks and wishes she could take it all back. She's done it. She's ruined her proposal. Dammit. Now she's going to have to sit there while Amy stares at her in disappointment.

Ugh! What a plight it is to have these damn things people called emotions.

"What?" Terry asks, unable to keep the emotion out of his voice. "They're both going to propose to each other and they have no idea?"

"Sergeant, control yourself," Holt says.

There’s a beat of silence and then Gina giggles, “Well, this is going to be fun. Those two losers are so alike that they’re proposing at the same time.”

Rosa sighs. “This is going to suck. All of Amy’s plans are ruined.”

“Not exactly…” Gina trails off, her smile growing with each passing second. It's like watching a human Cheshire cat and it scares Rosa a bit. Also, slightly turns her on, but that's a different story.

“What are you saying?” Rosa asks quietly, knowing how much of a firecracker Gina could be at times.

“What if we don’t tell them and see who proposes first?” Gina says, her eyes alit. Rosa snorts, not surprised by her proposal.

"Gina, no." Terry shakes his head. "Playing with their emotions is not fun. This is their marriage, we're talking about," he sniffles for a second. "It's a lifelong commitment that they're going to make." Holt sighs beside him and rolls his eyes tersely.

"I agree with Terry. Although, I do not condone crying like a child," Holt adds.

“Yeah, I agree. I’m not going to be playing with my friends like that. Especially after Amy already had me call thirty DVD places for a super rare copy of Die Hard where Bruce Willis wears a hat for like a second.” Rosa shakes her head. “No way.”

“Come on, Rosa.” Her eyes glitter as she grins up at her and Rosa clenches her jaw, not wanting to spare this thought another second but being intrigued by it just the same.

"How is this even going to work?"

"Rosa!" Terry interjects.

Rosa says, "Butt out, Sarge." Terry shakes his head and leans in.

"You have to think of Jake and Amy, Rosa. This is their livelihood; their future together."

"They're both proposing at the same time, the same day. What if we lay the cards out and see what happens? Let's see who gets to propose," Gina says.

There's a moment of silence as they think it over. Even Terry.

Rosa pauses for a second, knowing how unfair it would be doing this, but at the same time, wanting to see it executed. She loves Amy and because she loves her so much, she's going to bet on her. At least that's what she tells herself to make herself feel better.

"I bet $40 that Jake will be the one to propose." Holt says suddenly, nodding. They all turn to gape at him and he betrays no emotion. "He told me about the proposal before Santiago and I have a feeling he'll be the first to propose."

"Wait, you knew?"

He shrugs, "They both asked me to officiate, but I didn't tell one or the other that they're going to propose to one another." He pauses and nods towards Rosa.

"They haven't even proposed and they know they're going to say yes," Terry whimpers and starts tearing up again. "Oh, God."

"$50. Amy," Rosa says.

"$30. Jake," Gina adds. They all turn to Terry, who tries to avoid their looks, there's still a sparkle of emotion in his eyes but he quickly blinks it away.

"Sarge." Rosa raises one eyebrow and Terry sighs.

"Terry bets forty on Amy."

"It's settled then," Gina begins. "We have a bet on the engagement. Jake is planning to propose in this here room during work at the same time that Amy is going to propose wherever the hell she is planning to."

"Movie theatre," Rosa adds.

"Somewhere lame. Knew it," Gina continues. "Anyway, as we both know when playing along with the fates, you have to-"

"Gina, get on with it," Holt interrupts.

"Fine. The rules are simple: no telling Jake or Amy about the bet until after the proposal; no telling Boyle--he's likely to tell them; and no telling Hitchcock and Scully." She shrugs. "They're idiots."

"So, basically keep this between us," Terry says and Gina nods. A wicked gleam burns in her eye.

"May the best one win."

-

The day of the proposal, nothing goes according to plan. Every single part of Amy’s plan falls apart like a wet piece of paper. First, it starts at work. She’s been tracking Saldivar for months now and just like that, he's gone. All of her hard work tracking him. All of her CIs information is just useless now. He's vanished into thin air.

She's so distracted by her loss that she doesn't even realize it's the day of the proposal until she looks at her calendar before lunch and sees it there. In big block letters "Movies Today" or code for "Proposing to Jake."

God, she's so frazzled she doesn't even know how she's going to do it.

She hasn’t even told him about the movies, but knows they have no plans tonight. She’s so tired and so burned out that she’s thinking of postponing it but knows that the act of her asking Jake to marry her is going to bring joy to her foul mood.

But, that doesn’t go according to plan either. At around noon, she tells Jake that she got tickets from her brother to go to the showing of Die Hard

“What? Where did they sell tickets?” He asks confused. Amy tries to find a response, but luckily Jake shrugs. “No point. As much as it pains me, I have a crapload of work to do.”

Amy wants to cry. No, she’s too tired to cry. She wants to crawl under the covers and take a thirty year nap. This is done. It’s over.

Canceled. Done-zo.

She sighs and nods, “Okay, well, I’m going to ask the Captain if I can't head out.”

“Wait, what’s wrong? You never ask to leave early.”

“I’m just tired, Jake.” she stands and stretches. “I’m going to go home and sleep. Boyle can give you a ride home, right?”

“Wait, um, what do you mean?” he asks, shaking, as if standing on a tightrope. One wrong move and it’ll all go to hell. Amy narrows her eyes at his response.

“Are you okay?” Jake blinks rapidly and doesn't meant her eyes. “I’m just going to go home. I’m tired. You can get a ride from Boyle.” She grabs her coat, ready to talk to the Captain, but Jake stops her with a grasp to her arm.

“Wait, um-” he pauses for a moment, grabbing at lost words, but he’s left with no words to speak. Amy sighs.

“Jake, did you eat that expired cereal again?” She sighs. “I told you three months ago to throw it out. I don’t-”

“It’s not that.” He pauses, hand loosening its grip on her hand as he finds the excuse he was hoping to find. And he finds one. “I just..it’s the anniversary of our first date and I didn’t know we’d spend it apart.”

Amy sighs and her face softens at his sweet words. Now wanting more than ever to propose to him. Even right then and there. But, Amy knows that this is not the right place and her plans being ruined have to be the Fates trying to tell her something. It’s done. It’s over. She’ll have to think of another proposal and it’ll have to be a different day. Though, this day being crap changes nothing in her feelings towards Jake or her intention to marry him. “I know. I’m just tired, Jake. I’ll meet you at home.” She pecks his lips and turns to find Captain Holt. All Jake can do is watch as Holt gives her the okay to go home and all he can do is watch as his plans for proposing go down the drain.

In the breakroom, Terry, Gina, and Rosa grumble as their losses become more clear.

-

Amy awakes to the sound of her ringing phone. She wants to curse and instead digs herself deeper into her bed. Her phone doesn’t stop ringing even with her covers over her head and she grumbles to find it. She finds it deep within her coat and answers without even looking at the name.

“Ames.”

“Oh, hey, Jake,” she falls back into bed, rolling until the comforter is wrapped around her like a burrito.

“So...I know you’re tired and all but, um, Boyle got mad at me for something,” he mumbles, “and he doesn’t want to drop me off.”

“Boyle’s mad at you? This is a first.”

“Yeah, it was... bad how I let him down. He doesn’t understand that sometimes you can't force things.” Jake chuckles, though it sounds fake to her ears. Amy is too tired to ask anymore questions and instead just says, “Okay, be there in fifteen.”

“Yes, thank you! If it’s any consolation, you sound really sexy when you wake up.” Amy rolls her eyes before hanging up but can't delay the smile on her face.

They’re driving back home when it happens. Amy’s never had a tire pop ever in her life and she’s never had to pull over on the side of the road at almost eleven in her pajamas and try to change said tire. Jake doesn’t know how to change the tire and this further adds to her irritation.

He hangs over her shoulder as she tries to unscrew the bolts, but her fingers are freezing over and she groans under her breath every few seconds. She knows that Jake is cold, as his hand keeps shaking as he shines light from his phone on her and she knows it’s not his fault but, she’s just pissed at how terrible her day has gone.

Like, of course, on her most terrible of days, some drunk teenagers knock over the light pole, leaving the East side of Brooklyn with no light.

Luckily she lives on the West but that’s the only shred of luck she has left. Because--hooray, hooray-- they get stranded on the East side.

After ten freezing minutes, she’s finished taking the tire out. She glances over her shoulder at his shaking light and decides something almost instantly.

"I was going to propose today," she says suddenly, it’s like a flash of lighting, this decision to tell him. She rolls the tire and it wobbles to the edge of the sidewalk. It falls flat on its the side, deflated like a day-old balloon.

A perfect metaphor for today, she thinks. "Me, too." he replies and blows some air out of his mouth in annoyance. “That’s why Boyle was so mad and why I tried to get you to stay.”

Amy glances at him from the corner of her eyes and blinks back towards the car, trying to make sense of her thoughts like wandering bees. She stands and goes towards the boot of the car, searching for the spare tire they keep in there. Jake follows, cellphone lamp in hand.

"What were you going to say?" she asks quietly, hands caressing the dark rubber of the tire. It shines in the night like a dark bead.

There' a moment of silence after her question, and she thinks Jake hasn't heard her, but, then, "How much I love you and how much I appreciate you. Just... I had nothing planned but I just knew what I wanted to say." A pause like a comma and then, "And, you?"

"I planned mine," she starts and Jake grins. Of course she did. "Thirteen pages, front and back." She grabs the tire from the car and rolls it to her work area. Jake follows, phone in hand. Amy begins working, leaning over the car as she tries to set the tire back.

"Not going to lie, I feel like whatever I was going to say was going to pale next to yours. But, if I could, I would write ‘I love you’ for thirteen pages as speech, but you'd probably get bored," he says after a moment of watching her work.

"I'll never get tired of you telling me you love me," she replies, a grin present on her lips but she hides it against the car.

She looks over at him, anticipating the three words. Jake smiles widely. "I love you."

She kisses him, her heart ready to burst. She leaves a smudge of grease on his shirt and another on his neck. She works in silence for a moment, thinking of the two missed proposals and just how in sync they really were.

Behind her, Jake tries not to think of the ring burying a hole in his pocket. He stares up at the sky and feels their glow like sunlight on his skin. He remembers another night where he got moonburn and when the stars shone just like this.

"Remember our first date?" he asks.

"Of course," Amy replies, smiling. She meets his eyes over her shoulder. "Remember the taxi ride home?"

"I remember how you kept groping me," he replies and Amy groans turning back. He laughs and grins down at her. He remembers her face like a movie replaying behind his eyelids. He remembers the stars gliding across the sky like sparrows, the nervousness of butterflies that flew in his stomach, and the swell of his heartbeat after their kisses in the taxi. Her roaming hands and widely dilated eyes. In his tipsy stupor, all he could do was stare at her jewel eyes and marvel at her obscenely.

He remembers it all.

Amy smiles a dimpled smile and nods towards the wheel, "Shall we?" She asks, referring to the jack and her need for him to flash his phone light towards the innards of the car. Jake doesn't notice until they're both kneeling until her head almost knocks into hers. Their eyes meet quickly, humor and love bright as jewels. And then, it all starts to replay.

Everything.

Every single time his heart nearly flew out of his chest because of her and every single time she gave him goosebumps. Her love. Her eyes. The moment he knew he was going to propose. It all hurls towards him like a truck at high force and honestly? He doesn't even try to stop it. Amy stares at him with stars in her eyes, the moon watching and weeping at the full blown affection on both of their faces. It takes everything in her not to cry and with a touch of his hand, she knows. He knows.

“Should we do this?” she lets herself ask in a whisper. Jake nods.

“We should.” They both know the answer so they don’t even need to ask the next question. And honestly, as if it was going to go any other way. "Yes," they both say.

-

When they tell everyone at the precinct, they’re confused by the ‘boos’ within the squad, but later find out about the little bet they all had. A bet that Hitchcock and Scully won after they heard Rosa and Gina discussing it. (They finally get their pinball machine with the money)

Later, when they tell the story to their children, Amy will blush and tell Jake that she kneeled down first so she was the winner. Jake would agree, but behind her back, he argued that it was him.

Spoiler alert: it was Amy.


End file.
